


Red Thread

by springgreen



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Chromatic Character, Chromatic Source, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-05
Updated: 2006-07-05
Packaged: 2017-10-03 06:42:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springgreen/pseuds/springgreen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers through <em>Saiyuki Reload</em> vol. 6.</p><p>When Sanzo looks at the world around him, he sees idiots everywhere, bound by red threads to one another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Thread

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Brigdh, who requested what Sanzo thought of Hakkai/Gojyo. This is based on a Chinese folktale.

When Sanzo looks at the world around him, he sees idiots everywhere, bound by red threads to one another. He preaches "muichi motsu" instead. He sees his philosophy as a knife cutting through all those useless ties, letting people finally rest, no longer puppets pulled by many hands.

He still remembers Koumyou telling him of the red threads, back when he was Kouryuu, back when he hadn't yet decided that the entire world annoyed him.

"Did you know that the Old Man of the Moon ties red threads between people meant to be married?" Koumyou asked.

Kouryuu hadn't yet decided that the entire world annoyed him, but even at his age, he was fairly certain that most of the world did. He definintely knew enough to snort at this. "Last week you told me about the rabbit in the moon. The week before that, you told me about Chang-E and some stupid elixir. Now it's an old guy?"

Koumyou's beatific expression never slipped. Kouryuu occasionally wondered if anything ever threw his master off stride.

"Other people just don't realize that the Old Man of the Moon ties red threads between any two people who are attached to each other. Slight threads, but strong as silk."

Kouryuu cut him off before he started to say anything aggravating about fate or rivers or more threads.

Sanzo doesn't believe in men in the moon, and even if he did, he would shoot the man before suffering entanglement.

Even so, he sees red threads everywhere. He could have told Gojyo what was happening the day Sanzo kicked in the door, asking for Cho Gonou. Sanzo could have let the idiot know that the ties between him and Gonou were drawing tighter, cutting off circulation. Instead, he was so annoyed by the reminder of Koumyou standing over him protectively that he kneed Gojyo in the stomach.

It was as good a way as any to make him shut up.

Sanzo notices when Hakkai mentions Gojyo's older brother, doesn't express his surprise like the monkey does. Sanzo hears whispered voices in the wood the night before Chin Yisou's wooden doll shoots Gojyo. He nearly gets a first-degree burn with very hot coffee when Gojyo's not there. Hakkai and Gojyo never say anything that isn't casual, but Sanzo knows what he sees.

Sanzo sees red threads become red strings, red strings become red ropes. He sees restriction and pain. He can almost feel the bonds rubbing skin raw, red on red.

He tells himself that he would never allow that to happen to him, despite the obvious idiocy of his companions.

He will keep telling himself this as he smiles, really smiles, at Goku sleeping, as he puts a hand on Goku's head. He feels nothing when he tells Goku that he would kill an insane Seiten Taisei.

He is Genjyo Sanzo, the 31st Sanzo priest, and he is bound to no one.

It only takes a few gunshots to shatter all his illusions.


End file.
